City Water

Big Cities, Bad Water – Top 5 Cities with the Worst Drinking Water In the U.S.

7 min read

How safe is the water from your faucet?

In the United States, most of us take for granted that the water coming out of our tap is clean and safe to drink.

But unfortunately, this isn't always the case!

In fact, there are many large cities in the U.S. with water that is far from healthy.

From high levels of lead, to fecal contamination (yuck!), the water in these cities is nothing short of dangerous.

If you live in one of the cities in this article, what you’re about to learn may shock you!

Let’s take a closer look at the top five cities with the worst drinking water in the U.S…

ESSENTIAL TAKEAWAYS

Many of America's biggest cities have horrible water due to lead, bacterial and chemical contamination.


The top five biggest cities with bad water according to an analysis by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) are Flint, MI, Newark, NJ, Philadelphia, PA, Houston, TX, and Detroit, MI.


Lead exposure can cause a variety of health problems, particularly in children. These problems can include learning and behavior problems, lower IQ scores, and an increased risk for delinquency and violence.


In order to protect yourself and your family from lead exposure, it is important to have your water tested for lead, use cold water for drinking, cooking, and preparing baby formula, install a water filter that is certified to remove lead, and if you think your home has lead pipes, have them replaced.

What Causes Water Contamination?

There are several reasons why these cities have the worst tap water. 

In many cases, it is the result of outdated infrastructure and poor water treatment facilities.

In other cases, it is the result of natural disasters or severe weather events that have damaged the city's distribution pipes.

Whatever the cause, it is clear that these cities have a long way to go in terms of providing safe and clean drinking water for their residents.

Sewage Pipes
Some cities in the U.S. have horrible water due to lack of filtration, old lead pipes, and contaminated runoff from factories, landfills, and sewage systems.

Top 5 Cities with the Worst Drinking Water 

Here are the top five cities with horrible drinking water, according to an analysis by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC):

1. Flint, Michigan

As you may recall, Flint made headlines a few years ago when they revealed that the city was using water from the Flint River as its primary source of drinking water. 

The river water was highly contaminated with lead and other toxins, which led to a serious health crisis in the city.

Since then, Flint has made some progress to clean up its water supply. 

However, many residents still do not trust the quality of the city's water and prefer to drink bottled water instead.

Who can blame them?!

2. Newark, New Jersey

Like Flint, Newark has also struggled with lead contamination in the water supply. 

The city's water problems date back to the early 2000s when officials discovered that Newark's water treatment plant was not properly removing lead from the city's water.

As a result, many Newark residents have been exposed to high levels of lead, which has the greatest risk of affecting brain development.

Very high lead levels may cause seizures, unconsciousness, and death, particularly in children. 

In recent years, Newark has taken steps to improve its water treatment facilities and reduce lead levels in their water.

3. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia's water problems are largely the result of poor infrastructure and outdated water treatment facilities. 

As a result, the city's water often contains high levels of lead, copper, and other contaminants.

In addition, Philadelphia's water pipes are notoriously old and in need of repair or replacement. 

Water leaks are common, which allow contaminants to enter the city's water supply.

4. Houston, Texas

Houston is no stranger to natural disasters, and its water infrastructure has often struggled to cope with the aftermath of hurricanes and other severe weather events.

In addition, the city's water treatment facilities are outdated and in need of repair. 

As a result, Houston's water often contains high levels of bacteria and other contaminants.

5. Detroit, Michigan

The water in Detroit, Michigan has been ranked as some of the worst in the country. 

Some of the contaminants found in Detroit's water include lead, chloroform, and E. coli

These contaminants can lead to serious health problems, such as cancer, neurological damage, and gastrointestinal illness.

To make matters worse, the city has been struggling with a water crisis for years. 

In 2014, the city even had to issue a boil water advisory due to E. coli contamination.

DID YOU KNOW?

The United States has some of the best drinking water in the world, but not all cities are created equal. In fact, some of the biggest cities in the country have water that's downright undrinkable.

How Tap Water Gets Contaminated with Lead

Lead contamination in tap water is usually the result of old and outdated water pipes. 

When water flows through these old pipes, it can pick up lead from the pipes and carry it into homes and businesses.

In addition, lead can enter the water supply through leaching.

Leaching is the process by which lead and other contaminants are released into the water from old pipes or from lead solder used to join copper pipes.

The Health Risks Associated with Lead Exposure

Lead exposure can cause a variety of health problems, especially in children

These problems can include learning and behavior problems, lower IQ scores, and an increased risk for delinquency and violence.

In addition, lead exposure has been linked to kidney damage, high blood pressure, and an increased risk for certain types of cancer.

How To Protect Yourself and Your Family from Lead Exposure

Hey, no need to pack your bags and change cities!

Here are a few simple steps you can take to protect yourself and your family from lead exposure:

1. Have your water tested for lead. You can contact your local water utility to find out how to have your water tested for lead.

2. Use cold water for drinking, cooking, and preparing baby formula. Hot water can dissolve lead more easily than cold water, so it's important to use cold water for these purposes.

3. Install a water filter that is certified to remove lead. You can find these filters at most hardware stores.

4. If you think your home has lead pipes, have them replaced. You can contact your local water utility to find out how to have your lead pipes replaced.

5. Educate yourself and your family about the dangers of lead exposure. The more you know about the risks of lead exposure, the better equipped you'll be to protect yourself and your family!

It's no secret that many of America's big cities have some serious water problems. 

From Flint to Newark to Philadelphia, cities across the country are struggling to provide clean, safe drinking water to their residents.

And while many factors contribute to water contamination, the truth is that most of these problems could be avoided if cities simply invested in better infrastructure and water treatment facilities.

Unfortunately, that's not always easy or cheap. 

So, until cities can get their act together...

You can always contact your local water utility to find out more information about the quality of your water or consider investing in a water filtration system.

when was the last time you tested your tap?

A friendly reminder to get your tap water properly tested at least once a year to avoid any unwanted contaminants from sneaking in. Check out your community's most recent test results by entering your zip code in the box below.

What Is a Water Filtration System?

A water filtration system is a device that is used to remove contaminants from water. 

It can be used to purify tap water or to filter water from a well or other source.

When choosing a water filtration system, it's important to consider the type of contaminants that you want to remove. 

Some systems are better at removing certain types of contaminants than others.

It's also important to consider the size of the system. 

If you have a small kitchen, you may not have enough room for a large system. 

In that case, you may want to consider a countertop system or a portable system.

Finally, you'll need to decide how much you're willing to spend. 

No matter what your budget is, there's always a water filtration system that's right for you!

Top 5 Reasons to Get a Water Filtration System

1. Remove Lead

As we've seen, lead contamination is a major problem in many of America's big cities. 

And while there are some steps you can take to reduce your exposure to lead, the best way is to install a water filtration system in your home.

2. Kill Bacteria

Bacterial contamination is also a major problem in many cities' water supplies. 

Although boiling your water can kill some bacteria, sorry, it won't remove all of them!

The only way to be sure that your water is free of bacteria is to filter it with a high-quality water filtration system.

3. Eliminate Chemicals

Many city water supplies are treated with chemicals like chlorine and chloramine

These chemicals can be harmful to your health, so it's important to remove them from your water.

The best way to do this is to install an in-home water filtration system. 

These systems not only remove chemicals from your water, but they also remove other contaminants, such as lead and bacteria.

4. Improve the Taste of Your Water

If you're tired of drinking water that tastes like chlorine or chemicals, then a water filtration system is a great way to improve the taste of your water.

5. Save Money

Bottled water is expensive!

Instead, using a water filtration system can help you save money.

These systems typically pay for themselves within a few months, so they're a great investment for any family.

Now that you know the top five reasons to get a water filtration system, it's time to find the perfect system for your home.

Cloud Water reverse osmosis filters remove up to 99.9% of harmful toxins, including lead, chlorine, chloramine, bacteria, and more.

Cloud Water's water filtration systems are some of the best on the market, and they're sure to provide you with clean, safe, and great-tasting water for years to come!

So, if you're concerned about the quality of your city's water, or you're just tired of drinking water that tastes like chemicals...

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